Zheng Zeguang "Firefighting" In DC; 2018 The New 1984?; Australia "like a piece of chewing gum sticking to the sole of a Chinese shoe"; Counter-Espionage Law - Sinocism 12.06.17
Happy Wednesday, winter is finally coming to DC and we may even get some snow flurries later this week. Speaking of snow, the publication schedule will change slightly over the Christmas Holiday. The week of December 18th and the 25th there should be 2-3 issues each week. China does not shut for the Christmas Holiday and so I would prefer not to just go dark for a whole week.
Yesterday’s newsletter noted that:
“US-China relations may be to heading towards a precipitous change. Beijing is concerned and is taking steps this week to try to forestall more nastiness.“
Six days ago, soon after the most recent North Korean missile launch, President Trump tweeted:
Just spoke to President XI JINPING of China concerning the provocative actions of North Korea. Additional major sanctions will be imposed on North Korea today. This situation will be handled!
So far nothing new has been announced. Beijing appears unwilling to move much more, and believes it has already done its part. That view does not sit well in DC and so expect Beijing to plead its case here, and especially to try to prevent sanctions against Chinese financial firms.
Today I can confirm what I had been hearing. Beijing is concerned enough about the trajectory of the relationship, especially over North Korea and trade, that it has dispatched Vice Minister of Foreign Affairs Zheng Zeguang 郑泽光 (official bio) for a visit to DC starting today.
Zheng, who is expected to replace Cui Tiankai as Beijing’s Ambassador to the US, is on what a knowledgeable source described as a “firefighting” mission. I believe the main goal is to prevent an escalation of tensions over North Korea, specifically a US attack on the DPRK and sanctions on Chinese entities such as a major financial institution or PetroChina if Beijing does not cut off oil supplies to North Korea, as the Trump Administration is demanding.
The recent talk by the National Security Advisor and Senator Lindsey Graham about the increasing risk of war concerns Beijing, and Beijing has no doubt heard the rumor going around that the US told South Korea on November 29th after latest test that it may strike North Korea unilaterally. So far though Xi’s efforts to find some sort of compromise are just not compelling or feasible.
North Korea is not the only issue Beijing is worried about. Politico reported Tuesday that:
It’s only been 109 days since USTR launched a Section 301 investigation that could lead to unilateral trade action against China, but there are already signs the Trump administration could release its conclusions and move into the remedy phase of the probe much sooner than the one year it has to complete the investigation.
Two sources told Morning Trade that USTR has completed a draft report that is now being shared with the interagency committee overseeing the investigation. A USTR spokeswoman wouldn’t comment on the report’s status, but said it has not gone to the White House and declined to provide any update on when it would be released.
Xi seems to have thought that Trump’s Beijing visit went well and the issues in the relationship were under control. Now though the Trump administration appears to have Beijing rattled. If Xi really thought things were going well then there are questions about the quality of information he is receiving.
It looks there are still some spam filter issues. You can always login to read all issues online, and other than noted holidays the publication schedule is Monday through Thursday. Tips and comments are always welcome, Signal +13012460858 preferred over email.
Thanks for reading.
The Essential Eight
1. People's Daily commentary on learning Xi Thought leading into the New Era
Comment: The 12.6 People’s Daily has part two of the massive commentary by the authoritative People's Daily pseudonymous commentator Ren Zhongping, on the spirit of the 19th Party Congress, Xi Thought and China's correct path towards perfecting Party governance, state governance and global governance
在中国发展的接力赛中，自1954年新中国的领导人第一次提出“四个现代化”起，从“两步走”“三步走”“新三步走”到“中国梦”，中国特色社会主义伟大实践不断拓展现代化路径。过去5年的历史性成就和变革，将中国的发展带入新的方位。这个创造了人类历史上最大发展奇迹的政党，走到了人类现代化的最前沿。
“中共十九大书写了中国‘未来简史。’”“中国正在成为全球市场之网中‘新的服务器。’”“全球新未来最好的希望来自中国。”……中共十九大后，世界如此判断。从站起来、富起来到强起来，进入新时代的中国向世界宣示，沿着中国自己的道路，我们有能力让中华民族巍然屹立于世界民族之林，有能力成为这一场人类文明竞赛中的领跑者，有能力为世界的明天作出新的更大的贡献。
Chinese state media takes praise for leader to new heights as Xi tightens grip - Reuters:
The paean, even more effusive than usual for the state mouthpiece, came in two parts written under the official nom de plume of the People’s Daily for important commentaries and was carried on its front page on Tuesday and Wednesday.
Billed as an exposition on the changes in leadership, thought, mission and “rejuvenation” for China revealed during a course-setting meeting of the top party leadership in October, it marked the latest assault in a propaganda onslaught vaunting Xi’s contributions to China and the world.
2. 2018 the new 1984?
Comment: Yes there are constructive uses of all the surveillance and big data tools proliferating in China, but in the absence of any checks the Chinese leadership may now have the best internal surveillance system in the country's history. And the technology is only getting started.
Inside China’s Big Tech Conference, New Ways to Track Citizens - New York Times:
A fast-growing facial recognition company, Face++, turned its technology on conference goers. On a large screen in its booth, the software identified each person’s gender, described their hair length and color and characterized the clothes they wore.
Other Chinese companies showed what could be done with such data. A state-run telecom company, China Unicom, featured a display with graphics breaking down the huge amounts of data the company has on its subscribers.
One map broke down the population of Beijing based on the changing layout of the city’s population as people commuted to and from work. Another showed where foreign visitors roamed on its network.
Facial recognition identifies unlicensed drivers in Shanghai - Xinhua:
…a facial recognition system now compares and analyzes every driver's face with their profile information and detects any violations, allowing Shanghai traffic police to keep an eye on all motorists.
Officers said that none of the 835 drivers tried to drive again after they were caught.
3. Australians stirring up anti-China sentiment "like a piece of chewing gum sticking to the sole of a Chinese shoe"
Beijing accuses Turnbull of bias and Australian media of racism - Sydney Morning Herald:
China had "no intention to interfere in Australia's internal affairs or exert influence through political donations", said foreign ministry spokesman, Geng Shuang, in Beijing.
Chinese embassy says foreign interference laws undermine trust - The Australian:
In its Chinese language edition, Global Times on Wednesday attacked the Canberra measures as “reminding us of McCarthyism in the 1950s US — Australia is almost obsessed with antagonism against China.”
It described Australia — “one of the greatest beneficiaries amongst Western countries of China’s rise” — as also being “one of those most actively making trouble against China, like a piece of chewing gum sticking to the sole of a Chinese shoe.”
澳大利亚是从中国崛起中受益最多的西方国家之一，但它同时又是最近两年西方阵营里对华最活跃的寻衅找茬者之一。它现在有点像是粘在中国脚底的口香糖了。--社评：中国该用两手对付澳大利亚的两手_评论_环球网
Remarks of Spokesperson of Chinese Embassy in Australia:
Over the recent period, some Australian media have repeatedly fabricated news stories about the so-called Chinese influence and infiltration in Australia. Those reports, which were made up out of thin air and filled with cold war mentality and ideological bias, reflected a typical anti-China hysteria and paranoid. The relevant reports not only made unjustifiable accusations against the Chinese government, but also unscrupulously vilified the Chinese students as well as the Chinese community in Australia with racial prejudice, which in turn has tarnished Australia's reputation as a multicultural society. Some Australian politicians and government officials also made irresponsible remarks to the detriment of political mutual trust between China and Australia. We categorically reject these allegations.
China has been committed to developing its friendly relations with other countries on the basis of mutual respect for sovereignty, territorial integrity and non-interference in each other's internal affairs, which is one of the main principles of Chinese foreign policy. China has no intention to interfere in Australia's internal affairs or exert influence on its political process through political donations. We urge the Australian side to look at China and China-Australia relations in an objective, fair and rational manner.
The Chinese version of the embassy statement-中国驻澳使馆发言人谈话
Andrew Robb's secret China contract: money for nothing - The Age:
A secret letter to former trade minister Andrew Robb reveals that his consulting deal with a company closely linked to the Chinese government contains terms so vague and ill-defined he gets paid $880,000 a year even if he does nothing. Former NSW Supreme Court judge Anthony Whealy, who examined the terms of the leaked letter from Chinese firm Landbridge to Mr Robb, said that "on the face of it, he is required not to do anything and still get a whacking great fee".
4. Jack Ma's repeated praise for Beijing won't help get US deals approved
Comment: Is it just me or does Jack Ma seem a bit nervous these days?
Alibaba's Ma Says China Benefits From Stability of One Party - Bloomberg:
It is Ma’s second explicitly political declaration this week. At China’s World Internet Conference in Wuzhen, Alibaba’s chairman spoke out in support of the government’s tight control online and lectured foreign competitors on their strategies in the country. He said companies like Facebook Inc. and Google that want to operate in China need to “follow the rules,” implying they need to adhere to censorship controls to gain access to its citizens.
Jack Ma expected to fail for third time in bid to acquire MoneyGram | New York Post:
The Chinese mogul’s Ant Financial is expected to fall short this week in its attempt to convince federal regulators to clear the company’s $1.2 billion purchase of MoneyGram, The Post has learned.
5. China's rhetorical globalization campaign
Comment: It helps China that the US appears to be withdrawing from the field. Something, however flawed, is better than nothing?
China Mounts Fresh Defense of Globalization at Economic Forum - Bloomberg:
China “unequivocally rejects protectionism” and will seek to safeguard the global trading system, a top Communist Party official told visiting executives at an economic development forum.
“History shows that no one will benefit from a protectionist approach,” Vice Premier Wang Yang told the Fortune Global Forum in the southern Chinese city of Guangzhou on Wednesday...
Wang’s comments are the latest defense of globalization by the Chinese leadership, in contrast to the “America First” message of U.S. President Donald Trump. Chinese President Xi Jinping has used international forums such as the Asia-Pacific Economic Cooperation summit last month in Vietnam and the World Economic Forum earlier this year in Davos, Switzerland, to push similar themes.
China to create more opportunities for the world: Xi - Xinhua:
Xi made the remarks in a congratulatory letter to the 2017 Fortune Global Forum, which opened in the south China city of Guangzhou Wednesday.
In his letter, Xi said China will develop the open economy to a higher level, promote the Belt and Road Initiative, and push for a new pattern of all-round opening up.
6. Detailed implementation rules for the counter-espionage law released
At first glance the look worrisomely broad.
7. Rural murder case
Murder in the Mist - Sixth Tone:
HUNAN, Central China — On Nov. 4, Xiong Wumei vanished into the mountainous bamboo forest near Leiyang City along with her 7-year-old daughter and 5-year-old son. A week later, after fruitless searches by family and police, the 29-year-old resident of Yanchong Village suddenly reappeared, this time by herself.
The bodies of her two children were soon found in the mountains, and Leiyang police announced they were investigating the deaths as a murder case. As a prime suspect, Xiong was taken into custody.
8. Geremie Barmé reviews the Guggenheim Museum's Art and China after 1989: Theater of the World”
China's Art of Containment | The New York Review of Books:
“Theater of the World” is an account of two important decades in that tortuous journey and it revisits the era of China’s global emergence from an academic and inclusive curatorial perspective. Crucially valuable is the effort made to redress an imbalance in the general international understanding of contemporary Chinese art, one which has previously over-emphasized what the art critic Jed Perl has called “radical chic with blood on its hands.” Regardless, the curators of “Theater,” partly under the influence of Wang Hui, an establishment “new Marxist” favored by left-leaning Western academics, follow the trend of earlier exhibitions to celebrate too readily vacuous critiques of capitalism, to unearth supposed acts of resistance in artistic gestures, and to extol experimental forays as rebellions in miniature.
Business, Economy, Finance And Trade
China Will Lead an Electric Car Future, Ford’s Chairman Says - The New York Times The Ford Motor Company said on Tuesday that it planned to introduce 15 battery electric or plug-in gasoline-electric hybrid car models in China by 2025. Speaking in Shanghai, William C. Ford Jr., Ford Motor’s longtime executive chairman, outlined why in an unusually blunt comment. “When I think of where E.V.s are going,” he said, using an abbreviation for electric vehicles, “it’s clearly the case that China will lead the world in E.V. development.”
Global Funds Hunt Bargains in China’s Battered Bond Market - Bloomberg Bargain hunting by such investors could add to speculation that the worst of the rout, which started in October, is drawing to a close. Five-year government bonds have bounced back in the past week, after a selloff that has still left the yield up 94 basis points this year -- the most since 2013 -- at 3.8 percent.
China's Blow to Recycling Boosts U.S.'s $185 Billion Plastic Bet - Bloomberg China has begun buying brand new plastic to replace all the recycled scrap -- and that’s great news for U.S. chemical makers such as DowDuPont Inc., which are scrambling to find markets for millions of tons of new production amid an industry investment binge. U.S. exports of one common plastic are expected to quintuple by 2020.
China to further regulate financial markets - Xinhua "Despite progress in the ongoing financial scrutiny, the market is still prone to risks both currently and for the future period, which should not be taken lightly," said Wang Zhaoxing, vice chairman of the China Banking Regulatory Commission (CBRC). "China's financial supervision will be increasingly stricter, with tougher punishment on market irregularities and imprudent operations," he said at the annual meeting of China's city commercial banks. 两银监会副主席喊话城商行：将深入整治市场乱象！
China's HNA Group to sell overseas property, dispose non-core assets - Reuters HNA Group Co Ltd’s [HNAIRC.UL] Chief Executive Officer Adam Tan said the aviation-to-financial services conglomerate is negotiating to sell overseas real estate as part of a strategic streamlining, according to an interview published by 21st Century Business Herald 海航集团CEO谭向东详解投资步伐调整 称“有买有卖才是生意”
China moves to regulate 'speciality towns' amid debt fears - Reuters The government has actively promoted the development of “speciality towns” - hamlets of a few square kilometers dedicated to unique local industry ranging from eco-tourism to painting and pottery - in a bid to find cleaner and more sustainable growth outside major cities. More than 400 locations have been approved as “speciality towns” by the housing ministry so far. 四部委“出手”规范特色小镇：严控房地产化倾向
High-speed railway links major west China cities - Xinhua High-speed rail line linking northwest China's Xi'an and southwest China's Chengdu, went into operation Wednesday, slashing the travel time between the two cities from about 11 hours to just 4
Chinese vice premier stresses reform progress in customs clearance - Xinhua Speaking at a meeting Tuesday, Wang affirmed the progress made in customs clearance reform, noting that "single-window" customs clearance was now in place at all Chinese ports, saving companies one-third of their time needed for clearance. "Implementing one-stop customs clearance is necessary for gaining competitive advantages in trade and developing an open economy at a higher level," said Wang, also a member of the Standing Committee of the Political Bureau of the Communist Party of China Central Committee.
Shenzhen overtakes Guangzhou as biggest economy in southern China’s Guangdong province | South China Morning Post The provincial statistics bureau said on Tuesday that it had revised up Shenzhen’s GDP figure for 2016 to more than 2 trillion yuan (US$302 billion) from 1.95 trillion yuan in its initial report. The revision meant that the city’s economy grew 9.1 per cent year on year. Guangzhou’s GDP figure was also revised up, to 1.98 trillion yuan from 1.95 trillion yuan, but the increase was not enough for it to hold on to the top spot.
Runaway borrowers the new face of China’s personal credit boom | South China Morning Post With China preparing its annual blueprint for tackling its economic challenges, the South China Morning Post has sent journalists to check on three of the ‘grey rhinos’ threatening the world’s second biggest economy. In the second story in the series we look at China’s consumer credit bubble
Tencent Seen Doubling by Stock-Picker Who's Already Up 6,000% - Bloomberg OppenheimerFunds’ Justin Leverenz owes a lot to Tencent Holdings Ltd. The stock, which he started accumulating in 2007 when it traded for about HK$6 (77 cents) or about 1/60th of its current price, has helped make his emerging-market mutual fund the biggest in the world.
贾跃亭联手亲信“掏空”乐视网 多名高管被要求增持 - 股市 - 中国经营网_中国经营报 more on the looting of LeEco by Jia Yueting and some of his top lieutenants...by the end of this expect people to go to jail
Politics, Law And Ideology
中央文献研究室主任冷溶：维护党中央的权威是把党建设好的重要保证-新华网 Leng Rong, Director, CPC, Central Committee, Party Literature Research Center, talks at theoretical seminar about studying and propagandizing the 19th Party Congress spirit, among other things says that upholding the authority of the Party Center is key to ensuring successful Party construction // 新华网北京12月6日电（蔡梦晓）近日，中央文献研究室主任、中国中共文献研究会会长冷溶在中共中央文献研究室和中国中共文献研究会在北京举办的“学习宣传贯彻党的十九大精神”理论研讨会上表示，当前全党首要的工作，就是抓好党的十九大精神的学习宣传和贯彻落实，把思想统一到习近平新时代中国特色社会主义思想上来，把力量凝聚到实现党的十九大确定的各项任务上来。
China's Central Commission for Discipline Inspection's New Online Campaign: "Anti-Corruption" Gifs & Video | What's on Weibo The CCDI is increasingly using digital media to communicate its core values to a large online audience. On Monday, Chinese state media also shared a short public ad campaign video by the CCDI. It reflects on how the “Eight-point Regulation” have “changed people’s lives.”
《实践论》《矛盾论》：中国共产党走向成熟的理论标志--理论-人民网 张西立 2017年12月06日 来源：学习时报 - 自觉服从服务于中国特色社会主义伟大实践。毛泽东在《实践论》中指出，实践的观点是马克思主义哲学认识论之首要的和基本的观点。党的思想理论工作要想有所作为，必须紧紧围绕党在每一个时期的中心工作想问题、定政策、办事情，否则，就会事倍功半，甚至适得其反。党的十九大的重大理论贡献就是确立了习近平新时代中国特色社会主义思想对于全党的指导地位，科学回答了新时代“坚持和发展什么样的中国特色社会主义，怎样坚持和发展中国特色社会主义”的重大时代课题，明确了新的历史征程中我们党举什么旗、走什么路的根本问题。要言之，做好新形势下的思想理论工作，必须自觉服从和服务于中国特色社会主义的伟大实践，坚持实践第一观点，以实践为准绳，通过实践检验得以丰富、完善和发展。
当选常委后，韩正首次代表中央的活动 Han Zheng makes first publicized appearance after joining the Standing Committee, speaks at the Taiwan Democratic Self-government league convention
Foreign and Military Affairs
ROK president to visit China - Xinhua President of the Republic of Korea (ROK) Moon Jae-in will pay a state visit to China from Dec. 13 to 16 at the invitation of Chinese President Xi Jinping, Foreign Ministry spokesperson Lu Kang announced Wednesday.
The state of the alliance: Beijing-Pyongyang relations in 2017 | NK News - North Korea News Just hours after North Korea announced the launch of the Hwasong-15, NK News caught up with Dr. Adam Cathcart, a lecturer in Chinese History at Leeds University and founder of Sino-NK, to discuss the state of DPRK-PRC relations, Chinese ruling party attitudes towards Kim Jong Un, and where “lips and teeth” goes from here....
China province near North Korea warns about the dangers of nuclear war - The Washington Post Jilin Provincial People’s Air Defense Office later told Chinese media it was responsible for the advisory, saying it aimed to strengthen “national defense education,” and explaining that many countries issue such advice through the media. The outside world should not over-interpret it, Xu Yucheng, deputy director of the air defense office, told Beijing News. 《吉林日报》今天刊发整版报道：核武器常识及其防护
Commentary: "Community with shared future for mankind" can create a better world - Xinhua | English.news.cn "A community with shared future for mankind" can help build a better world, freeing people from fear, poverty and isolation. The Beijing Initiative document, released after the recent Communist Party of China (CPC) in Dialogue with World Political Parties High-Level Meeting, called for fostering and embracing the idea of a shared future in place of self-concerned mentality and dichotomic mentality.
State Department and Chinese Officials Discuss Synthetic Opioids on Sidelines of Mexico Conference Acting Principal Deputy Assistant Secretary James Walsh of the Bureau of International Narcotics and Law Enforcement Affairs (INL) conducted the meeting with officials from China’s National Narcotics Control Commission. The U.S. and Chinese officials are in Mexico, along with representatives from more than 65 other nations, to participate in the annual workshop of the International Society of Substance Use Prevention and Treatment Professionals (ISSUP). // Comment: So nice timing with China adds new precursor chemicals to its catalogue - Gov.cn, ones related to related to fentanyl and methamphetamines
Beijing warned its tough internet controls may hurt foreign relations | South China Morning Post Beijing’s policy of blocking foreign news sites and other websites also came under strong criticism at a panel session on Monday, with Stephen Orlins, president of the National Committee on US-China Relations, warning China would pay a high price in its relations with other countries.
The Song Tao Visit | PIIE - Stephan Haggard and Xian Wu China is desperately signaling that it is trying, but diplomatic—as compared to economic—leverage remains limited. That message is clearly ringing hollow in Washington if McMaster's comments in an extended Fox News interview are any indication (link is external). Praising China for shifting ground since Trump’s inauguration, he also signaled the US administration’s view that Beijing is simply not getting the job done.
China hopes cold war nuclear energy tech will power warships, drones | South China Morning Post The cash is to develop two “molten salt” reactors in the Gobi Desert in northern China. Researchers hope that if they can solve a number of technical problems the reactors will lead to a range of applications, including nuclear-powered warships and drones.
Yan Xuetong on How Germany and China Should Rethink the Global Order | The Diplomat Economic cooperation does not speak to people’s souls. If China wants to win German hearts it should cooperate more with Germany on cultural issues. Also, China should consistently practice the values it advocates to the world at home in order to strengthen its political leadership. This is a precondition for increasing Chinese soft power. The inconsistency between the ideology guiding foreign policy and that guiding domestic affairs is a serious problem to which China should pay a lot more attention.
Senior Chinese military official starts visit to Russia - China Military At the invitation of Russian Defense Minister Sergei Shoigu, General Zhang Youxia, member of the Political Bureau of the CPC Central Committee and vice chairman of China’s Central Military Commission (CMC), left Beijing on December 6 for Russia to pay an official visit. His main entourage includes Lt. Gen. Li Shangfu, director of the Equipment Development Department under the CMC, and Lt. Gen. Ma Yiming, deputy chief of staff of the Joint Staff Department under the CMC.
China revises rules to curb flawed maps - Xinhua A revised regulation on the approval of published maps will take effect on Jan. 1, 2018, said the National Administration of Surveying, Mapping and Geoinformation (NASMG) Tuesday. According to the document, maps and products that include maps should be subject to government approval before being published or sold, including those to be published, sold or displayed abroad..."Flawed maps have undermined national sovereignty, security and interests and have had a vile impact,"
Thailand pushes for high-speed rail link with China to be used for freight | South China Morning Post “The costs are in the billions of dollars, so we have to have at least 9 to 10 million passengers a year – compared with the population of 60 to 70 million in Thailand,” Muangkeo said. “I would like to have China express clearly [what the railway will be used for]. Goods transport is feasible,” he said, adding that Beijing should also be clear about the use of other transport projects it is involved in across the region.
Three things you need to know about the Maldivian president’s state visit to China | South China Morning Post Yameen, who leads a nation of 400,000 in India’s backyard, is expected to meet Xi and oversee the signing of deals in the Great Hall of the People on Thursday.
Nepal votes Thursday. Will China or India come out the winner? - The Washington Post The Left Alliance, jointly led by Oli and Pushpa Kamal Dahal, the leader of the Maoist Communist Party of Nepal, has also pledged to renegotiate treaties with India and increase ties with China. Even other pro-India politicians, such as the incumbent prime minister, are now talking about a balancing act between Nepal’s bordering behemoths.
China says Trump plan to move embassy in Israel could spark 'new hostility' - Reuters China expressed concern on Wednesday about U.S. President Donald Trump’s reported intention to recognize Jerusalem as Israel’s capital and relocate the U.S. Embassy to the ancient city, saying it could spark new hostility
Tokyo and Beijing agree to implement communication mechanism aimed at averting clashes over Senkakus | The Japan Times Japan and China have largely agreed on how to implement a maritime and aerial communication mechanism aimed at averting unintended clashes in and above the East China Sea amid a long-running territorial dispute over the uninhabited Senkaku Islands, Japan’s Foreign Ministry said Wednesday.
Tech And Media
Xunlei tumbles as cryptocurrency worries swirl - Reuters future development of Xunlei’s blockchain technology had the potential to run up against regulatory red lines in China, which formally banned and deemed illegal the practice of raising funds through launches of token-based digital currencies on Sept. 4.
Chinese investor increases stake in Dialog Semi to over 7 percent - Reuters According to a regulatory filing on Tuesday, a subsidiary of Chinese chipmaker Tsinghua Unigroup Ltd increased its stake to 7.15 percent on Nov. 30, the day Dialog shares fell by 20 percent on a report that Apple may design its own power-management chips.
Apple's Cook optimistic that apps pulled in China will be back - Reuters Apple Inc is optimistic that some of its popular apps removed from its China App Store this year to comply with government requests will be reinstated, the U.S. tech giant’s Chief Executive Tim Cook said on Wednesday.
Minitrue: Delete Attacks on World Internet Conference - China Digital Times (CDT) Intercept, find, and delete content attacking the World Internet Conference in Wuzhen on interactive platforms such as Weibo, blogs, public WeChat accounts, forums, and bulletin boards. Pay particular attention to examples containing the following keywords: World 404 Conference, World LAN Conference, World Satire Conference, Low-level Political Party Conference, New-era United Front Meeting, Low-level Organization Conference, Beggars’ Conference, World Spenders’ Conference.
Society, Art, Sports, Culture And History
New This Season in a Canadian Hockey League: Road Trips to China - The New York Times Yu’s Nov. 19 game-winner — the first goal by a Chinese national in the history of the Canadian Women’s Hockey League — came during a weekend of back-to-back victories for Kunlun Red Star, one of two new professional women’s ice hockey teams in Shenzhen, a subtropical Chinese megacity. It may be the first of many milestones for Chinese athletes in women’s hockey, which has long been dominated by Canada and the United States.
Chinese production set to create history on Broadway - China Daily Shanghai Hengyuanxiang (HYX) Drama Development Company and Nederlander Worldwide Entertainment signed a deal on Nov 6 that would see Shimmer become the first Chinese musical to have an openended run on Broadway. Shimmer, which tells a story about Jews who fled to Shanghai to escape Nazi persecution during World War II, premiered at the Shanghai Culture Square in 2015. Five days later, the musical was chosen as the opening show for the 17th China Shanghai International Arts Festival. In December last year, it was presented at the Edison Ballroom in New York's Times Square.
Tsinghua Professor in the Bull’s Eye for Alleged Plagiarism - Sixth Tone Peng Lin, a history professor at Tsinghua University in Beijing, and Han Bingxue, an assistant researcher at the school’s Center for Chinese Ritual Studies, were chief editors of a 2016 book on Chinese ritual archery that online critics allege copied more than 20 excerpts from a 1986 book on kyudo — a form of archery associated with the samurai class of feudal Japan.
体坛黑幕：前高层被曝坐拥千万豪宅 乒乓天才被迫“叛国” 新闻+ 央视网消息：日前，检察日报社主办的《方圆》杂志刊发了一片题为《中国体坛高层触目惊心的腐败》的文章，文章列举了十八大以来中国体育界反腐的部分相关措施和一些具体案例，五年来中国体坛究竟经历了怎样改革阵痛？小编通过几个故事向你讲述 // CCTV looks at corruption in the PRC sports machine
Energy, Environment, Science And Health
China Assumes Green Power Mantle, Leaving Germany, U.S. Behind - Bloomberg China’s share of the global market for protection against climate change more than tripled over the 13 years leading to 2015, according to the report commissioned by the German government and published by the Federal Environment Office. Germany fell to second place and the U.S. finished third.
China's smog-plagued Hebei draws up environmental tax plan - Reuters China’s legislature approved a new environmental tax law late last year that gave regions the power to set their own rates. Several regions have already drawn up schemes and in January will start charging firms according to the amount of air, water and even noise pollution they produce. But Hebei, a major source of hazardous and politically embarrassing emissions drifting across China’s capital Beijing, is under heavy pressure to clean up and will levy higher rates of tax than other regions.
村庄里的煤改气：断头的管道和复烧的煤炉_政经频道_财新网 Caixin visit a Hebei village where the natural gas lines were not completed so the villagers are back to burning coal. // 村子里没有完成煤改气入户施工的“断头管道”随处可见，施工队在冲突后已撤离。村民们说，现在也没人查烧燃煤，“总不能冻着”
Steep rise in fines for Chinese polluters | Reuters Companies in China accused of violating environmental regulations paid fines totalling 1.02 billion yuan (US$154 million) in the first 10 months of 2017, up 48 per cent from a year earlier, the environment ministry said on Wednesday.
China's Saihanba afforestation community bags UN's top environmental award - Xinhua The Saihanba region that covers about 93,000 hectares in north China's Hebei Province almost became a waste land in the 1950s due to rampant felling of trees which made it possible for wind to blow sand into Beijing and adjacent regions. Hundreds of foresters in 1962 embarked on tree planting in Saihanba given the heavy price they were paying due to rapid desertification. Three generation of foresters from Saihanba have managed to increase the forest cover from 11.4 percent to 80 percent while the reclaimed landscape currently supplies some 137 million cubic meters of clean water to Beijing.
Agriculture And Rural Issues
Chinese Economy: Why a Chinese Fintech Leasing Cows to Rural Farmers | Fortune Ning Tang, CEO of fintech firm CreditEase, is lending consumers cows in a bid to reach those living in rural areas who might have limited access to credit and financing. “We several years ago, we invented something called micro-leasing. Leasing is usually for aircrafts and so on—very big things, but rural Chinese borrowers need small money for equipment purchases, like tractors or heating machines and so on,” Tang said during Fortune’s Brainstorm Tech International forum in Guangzhou, China this week. “We also invented this so-called live-stock leasing. The first item was cows. Chinese farmers could lease cows from us. So such innovation is tremendously helpful.”
Education
从“点名课”到“网红课”——上海高校思政教育“磨亮”青年底色-新华网 Xinhua looks at how Shanghai universities and colleges are making political thought classes more "attractive"
Ad promises students 'You won't feel like you're in China when you're on our buses' - CNN A short time later, Suburban sent a second email it titled "Apology" -- but the message didn't sound apologetic. The email said that because the university is a public school, it should be "providing high-quality, affordable education to the citizens of Illinois."
河北责令全面检查各中小学冬季取暖 - 国内 - 新京报网 Hebei government reacts to reports that several village primary schools do not have heat, orders that they all be inspected and be provided heat
Chinese schools investigated for holding classes outside during freezing winter The pupils were from 11 schools in northern China’s Hebei province where there was no indoor heating. The heating systems were not working as teachers had experienced delays in swapping coal heaters for electric ones as part of a nation-wide clean energy drive.
Food And Travel
Two McDonald’s branches in Shanghai probed over food health scare - Global Times Fast food chain McDonald's denied on Monday night that its fried dough sticks contained chemical substances that could cause cardiovascular disease, after food in two of its Shanghai branches were said to contain diethylhexyl phthalate (DEHP).
Jobs And Events
Richard McGregor ASIA'S RECKONING: CHINA, JAPAN, AND THE FATE OF US POWER IN THE PACIFIC CENTURY | East City Bookshop Join author and journalist Richard McGregor for a talk on the future of US power in Asia--and the potential crises we may face. Richard McGregor will be in conversation with Jim Mann, author of Rise of the Vulcans: A History of Bush’s War Cabinet. Thursday, December 7, 2017 - 6:30pm to 7:30pm
